So what your saying Mrs/Ms Hendrix is that a ferret that places 2nd place
is considered not well taken care of or not bred as well or isn't as
important in the AFA's eyes???  Can a half a point or a point make that
"the standard" to discredit anything other than 1st place to not be well
maintained or bred.  Sounds like these are people who just want to win
trophies.  How can people be educated by understanding showing when they
might be discouraged by seeing ferrets who "reached as far as they can
go" according to Marguerite at Tiny Prints and still are showing.  There
have been ferrets that have reached the high point that have retired,
this so called UNWRITTEN rule.  Sounds like you don't want to give anyone
else this so called wonderful experience that you say is such a great and
wonderful feeling.
 
Share the wealth.  Competing and winning does give others a chance to
experience a little piece of happiness over what their ferret can do.
And gives some people pride in their ferret.  Take that away and what do
you have?  Hmm, shame, failure, embarrassment.  And if any ferret that
doesn't place 1st, don't seem to matter according to you, why even go to
a show to show at all.  As I understand, you're the new president of AFA,
this is the representation of AFA speaking on showing?  What kind of role
model does that make you if your one of the ones that continues to show
after your ferrets make the highest point it can get.  If the judges are
great, your saying if all the ferrets that win the ferret of the year or
gold/platinum status are pulled, the judges would be placing ferrets not
well taken care of or bred?  They couldn't tell the difference and hey,
then there would be no winning ferrets, (like cat shows).  That only
ferrets reaching that ferret of the year point are the only ones well
taken care of and bred, 2nd place and 3rd and on is reserved for
undesirable ferrets.  If that's the case, AFA should discontinue the
ferret of the year stuff.  Why would I even want to try and beat your
ferret or others if I feel I am doing a great job already and then when
I get a second place and feel like a slap in the face and be embarrassed
and feel my ferret is unworthy or inadequate because it didn't get a 1st
place.  Is that what showing is all about?  What's educational about
that?  I would think ferrets that win ferret of the year would be the
role models to educate owners about what they can strive for, hey see
what you can do-look what I did, as opposed to being the role model to
"trophy winning models".
 
I'm sorry if I offend anyone, I don't mean too, I know this is a hot
topic within the ferret community, I just don't see it as fair and
balanced.  I won't post about this anymore, there are others things out
there important to the ferret community but I just had to speak my mind
without constantly being blasted about it.  Isn't this what this list
is for?
 
[PR]
[Posted in FML issue 4994]